FIDE World Cup 2025 Round 4: Arjun, Pragg in spotlight after Gukesh's exit

As the fourth round of the FIDE World Cup 2025 gets underway following the first rest day in Goa, India’s premier grandmasters — Arjun Erigaisi, R. Praggnanandhaa and P. Harikrishna — are stepping into the spotlight. With many higher-rated opponents already eliminated, the Indians carry heightened expectations. 

Erigaisi, the country’s top-rated player, takes on veteran Hungarian Peter Leko, while Praggnanandhaa faces the inventive Daniil Dubov under the FIDE flag. Harikrishna, the seasoned campaigner, meets Sweden’s Nils Grandelius with a mindset honed by years of high-level matches. Adding to the intrigue, reigning world champion D. Gukesh has already been knocked out, opening the door for fresh narratives and making this stage of the event particularly compelling. 

 

Indian trio in the firing line

Arjun Erigaisi begins as favourite in his clash with Peter Leko. With Erigaisi having won both his earlier matches without resorting to tiebreaks, he arrives with confidence. Leko, once a dominant force nearly two decades ago, impressed by defeating Bobby Cheng and Kirill Alekseenko without extra games. Though semi-retired, Leko remains dangerous — but Erigaisi’s appetite for complicated, tactical positions may tilt the odds in his favour. 

Meanwhile, R. Praggnanandhaa draws the attention of chess fans as he squares off against Daniil Dubov. Dubov, known for his schooled opening work and speed in rapid and blitz, dispensed with Bai Jinshi and Georg Meier via marathon tiebreaks. Praggnanandhaa, too, had a nail-biting second round before steadying his run — the match promises to be a clash of youthful daring versus creative flair. 

P. Harikrishna, carrying the most experience of the Indian trio, takes on Nils Grandelius. Harikrishna’s strategy has been clear: “win with white, draw with black,” and his calming influence and depth of preparation could serve him well in this knockout format.

The shock exit: Gukesh’s early departure

In perhaps the biggest surprise of the tournament so far, world champion D. Gukesh was eliminated in the third round by Germany’s Frederik Svane. Having drawn the first game, Gukesh blundered severely in the second, forcing a knight endgame he could not hold and resigning on move 55. The loss now shines a spotlight on his 2025 form and creates doubts about his defence of the world title next year. 

His coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, described the year as troubling, pointing to the heavy schedule and a shift in focus toward multiple formats that may be weighing on the reigning champion’s classical game.

Round 4 pairings and what’s ahead

With the field narrowing, the stakes are rising as the remaining players push toward the final stages — and crucially, toward qualifying spots for the Candidates Tournament 2026. For India, the continued progress of Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa and Harikrishna will be watched keenly. Meanwhile, the absence of their young compatriot Gukesh adds pressure but also opportunity. 

Here are the key fourth-round pairings involving the Indian players:

• Peter Leko (Hun) vs Arjun Erigaisi (Ind)
• R. Praggnanandhaa (Ind) vs Daniil Dubov (Fid)
• Nils Grandelius (Swe) vs P. Harikrishna (Ind)
• V. Pranav (Ind) vs Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzb)
• Le Quang Liem (Vie) vs V. Karthik (Ind)